Zimbabwe’s ruling party, opposition call for end to violence

Xinhua Harare, Aug 7 (Xinhua) Negotiators from Zimbabwe’s ruling party ZANU-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) have jointly condemned political violence in the country and urged their party men to stop it. In the joint statement issued Wednesday, both sides denounced the violence that engulfed the country following the controversial presidential election, and said violence should never be used as a political tool, state-controlled The Herald newspaper reported Thursday.

The two parties said violence perpetrated by their supporters in the wake of the March 29 elections that subsequently saw President Robert Mugabe re-elected, “has been injurious to national and human security”, and called upon their supporters to refrain from it.

“We hereby call upon all our supporters and members and any organs and structures under the direction and control of our respective parties to desist from perpetrating violence in any form,” the statement said.

The two sides said they committed themselves to maintaining peace in the country. Xinhua